Career and Education Opportunities for Layout Technicians in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Many educational and employment opportunities exist for layout technicians in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. There are currently 350 working layout technicians in Pennsylvania; this should shrink 19% to about 300 working layout technicians in the state by 2016. This is not quite as good as the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for layout technicians are expected to shrink by about 11.6%. Layout technicians generally lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, or machine parts, for further processing.

Layout technicians earn approximately $18 hourly or $37,740 annually on average in Pennsylvania. Nationally they average about $16 per hour or $34,920 annually. Incomes for layout technicians are better than in the overall category of Foundry and Metal Work in Pennsylvania, and better than the overall Foundry and Metal Work category nationally.

There is one school within twenty-five miles of Philadelphia where you can study to be a layout technician, among 156 schools of higher education total in the Philadelphia area. Layout technicians usually hold a high school diploma or GED, so you can expect to spend only a short time training to become a layout technician if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Layout Technician

In general, layout technicians lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, or machine parts, for further processing. They also includes shipfitters.

Layout technicians fit and align fabricated components to be welded or assembled. They also lift and position workpieces in relation to surface plates, manually or with hoists. Equally important, layout technicians have to lay out and fabricate metal structural components such as plates and frames. Finally, layout technicians mark curves and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills.

Every day, layout technicians are expected to be able to see details at a very fine level of focus. It is also important that they visualize how things come together and can be organized.

It is important for layout technicians to locate center lines and verify template positions, using measuring instruments such as gauge blocks and dial indicators. They are often called upon to compute layout dimensions, and decide on and mark reference points on metal stock or workpieces for further processing, such as welding and assembly. They also formulate and develop layouts from blueprints and templates, applying knowledge of trigonometry, layout, effects of heat, and properties of metals. They are sometimes expected to formulate locations and sequences of cutting and welding operations, using compasses and rules. Somewhat less frequently, layout technicians are also expected to add dimensional details to blueprints or drawings made by other staff.

Layout technicians sometimes are asked to add dimensional details to blueprints or drawings made by other staff. And finally, they sometimes have to formulate and develop layouts from blueprints and templates, applying knowledge of trigonometry, layout, effects of heat, and properties of metals.

Like many other jobs, layout technicians must be reliable and be thorough and dependable.

Buffing Machine Operator. Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Layout Technician Training

Delaware County Community College - Media, PA

Delaware County Community College, 901 S Media Line Rd, Media, PA 19063-1094. Delaware County Community College is a large college located in Media, Pennsylvania. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 11,109 students. Delaware County Community College has 2 areas of study related to Layout Technician. They are:

Machine Tool Technology/Machinist, less than one year and associate's degree which graduated one and two students respectively in 2008.

Machine Shop Technology/Assistant, less than one year.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania photo by Apollo1758

Philadelphia is located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. It has a population of over 1,447,395, which has shrunk by 4.6% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Philadelphia, 102, is near the national average. New single-family homes in Philadelphia cost $212,900 on average, which is far greater than the state average. In 2008, five hundred forty-five new homes were constructed in Philadelphia, down from five hundred ninety-one the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Philadelphia are health care, educational services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. For men, it is construction, educational services, and health care. The average travel time to work is about 32 minutes. More than 17.9% of Philadelphia residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 7.5%, is lower than the state average.

The percentage of Philadelphia residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 53.4%, is more than the national average but less than the state average. Boulevard Church, Mount Herman Church and Saint Michael Mission Center are all churches located in Philadelphia. The most prominent religious groups are the Catholic Church, the American Baptist Churches in the USA and the Muslim Estimate.

Philadelphia is home to the Five Points and the Academy Gardens as well as Durham Park and Cloverly Park. Shopping malls in the area include Roosevelt Mall, Andorra Shopping Center and Red Lion Shopping Center. Visitors to Philadelphia can choose from Comfort Inn, Concordia Worldwide Hotel Reservations and Embassy Suites for temporary stays in the area.